“Captain Thorne.” She inclined her head, forcing herself to take even breaths. Losing her composure wouldn’t help her.
“I see my reputation precedes me.” He grinned, and for a moment, his face was transformed into that of a handsome rogue. If one didn’tlook into his eyes. A stark emptiness filled them and her skin went clammy. No emotion. Some said he’d sold his soul to the devil. Her throat went dry. They very well may be right. He turned his face into the sun for a moment and a flash of recognition fluttered through her, there and gone again in an instant.
Best get straight to the point. “Why am I here?”
Not that she needed to ask. She’d heard enough outside her uncle’s meeting. Thorne wanted the map. Her map.
“Tell me, Miss Warstein, how much does your uncle value your life?”
Right now? Probably not very much. But he didn’t need to know that. “I’m his only niece, and he raised me as a daughter.” She shrugged. “Do you have children, Captain?”
His eyes went a shade darker.Interesting. Of course, with looks like his, he probably had a brat in every port.
Samantha let a smile play across her lips. “Then I’ll let you be the judge of how much my life is worth.”
He took a step closer. “You’ll find quite quickly, Miss Warstein, that life is of little value to me.”
His words rang with sincerity, and Samantha fought back a little shiver. Time to figure out his plan. “So then, what is it you want? I assume you took me for ransom.”
The captain walked a slow circle around her and she forced herself to remain still.
“Your uncle has something I require. I do believe he will bring it. When he does, I will kill him, and you.” He reached out and grazed his knuckles against her hair. “Too bad, really. I do hate wasting such beauty.”
Samantha reeled back. The man was mad.
“You don’t want to beg for your release?” He regarded her for another long moment. “It is, after all, more along the lines of what I’m used to. Perhaps you’d wish to bargain.”
Those dark eyes became predatory and she took a step back. No way she’d ever stoop that low.
“I will never beg.”
A dark brow rose. “Never say never. I will take great pleasure in proving you wrong.”
Samantha stiffened.Stop goading him.She turned and found his crew had gathered close.
“I will say, Miss Warstein, you’ve got your mother’s pride.”
She spun back to him as ice shot through her veins. “What did you say?”
But he didn’t need to repeat himself. The open deck around her suddenly seemed to close in and the wind became a roar in her ears.
Captain Thorne’s eyes gleamed. “She refused to cower to me, even in the end. You have her looks, you know.”
And then everything went silent, save for the heavy thump of her heartbeat.
He killed her parents.
For the map.
“You bastard,” she snarled, launching herself at him. Never mind she had no weapon. Her fingers curled, ready to swipe the smirk off his face.
But a huge hand clamped around one arm and yanked her back.
The captain barked out a hollow laugh. “Take Miss Warstein back to her quarters. I do believe she’s outstayed her welcome.”
The giant yanked her back toward the hatch and she twisted to face the captain. “He’ll never give it to you.”
He laughed again. “Oh, I think he will.”
